Bathing-cap.



J. RILEY.

BATHING CAP.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11. 1915.

LQMAWG. Patented Apr. 3,1917.

" l/VVE'IV raw J Hm E) JUIL RILEY, 0F JORDAN, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR FORTY-NINE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO SARAH ABBAM-S, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

BATHING-CAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Apr. 3, lfll'to Application filed October 11, 1915. Serial No. 55,205.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, J UIL RILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jordan, in the county of Scott and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bathing-Caps, of which the following is a specification.

Bathing caps for ladies, as at present constructed, do not effectively prevent the hair from becoming wet in bathing, and the result is that much annoyance and discomfort is occasioned on account of the length of time occupied in drying the hair subsequently to bathing.

One object of the present-invention is to provide a bathing cap' which will effectually exclude water from entering the interior of the cap and will thus preserve the hair dry. A further object is to provide, with such a cap, means for excluding the water from the interior of the outer ear. A further object. is to provide such a cap the interior of which can be inflated with air so as to form In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective .view of the head of a bather equipped with my improved bathing cap; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the cap detached; Fig. 3 is a sectional View of a valve used in said cap. 1

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a rubber bathing cap, in general of the usual form. Secured thereto throughout the entire edge thereof in such a manner as to form a water-tight juncture therewith is a pneumatic tube 2 in the form of a ring. This pneumatic tube has a non-return valve 3 therein and can be inflated with air in any manner, as by blowing with the mouth. When the cap is in position on the head of the wearer and the tube is so inflated, it fits so closely against the face and head of the wearer that no water can penetrate therebetween, and the hair is maintained perfectly dry.

On each side of the head near the car there leads from the main pneumatic tube a short tube 4 of very small diameter which terminates in an enlargement or bulb 6. Since this bulb communicates with the main pneumatic tube by the short tube 4 it is filled with compressed air. To insert it in position it is first compressed by the lingers to expel the air and is then inserted in the outer ear. Upon the pressure of the fingers being withdrawn, the bulb expands and fills the outer ear and prevents the entrance of water thereinto.

The bathing cap may also be used as a float for sustaining the bather, and for this purpose there is provided at any suitable part of the cap, a check valve 7 through which air can be introduced into the interior of the bathing cap, and, since the pneumatic tube fits tightly around the face and head of the bather, and the air can not readily escape from the interior of the cap past said pneumatic tube, said cap is thereby inflated so as to form a buoyant float to assist in sup porting the-bather'upon the surface of the Water.

It will be understood that the cap may have any suitable ornamentation or may be perfectly plain, and that the buoyant feature, or that bv which water is excluded from the ears, or both, may be omitted if desired.

1. A bathing cap having a pneumatic tube secured entirely around the edge thereof so as to make a water-tight joint therewith and having tubes leading from the pneumatic tube each terminating in an enlargement or bulb adapted to fit within the outer ear to exclude water therefrom.

2. A bathing cap havinga pneumatic tube secured entirely around the edge thereof so as to make'a water-tight joint therewith and means for inflating the interior .of the cap.

3. A bathing cap having a pneumatic tube secured entirely around the edge thereof so as to make a water-tight joint therewith and a check valve in thebody of said cap.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JUIL RILEY.

as, for instance, in the middle, 

